Golfing Tips: How to Hit A Stinger

In golf, the stinger shot has a very low trajectory, and is useful when playing against a crosswind or a strong headwind. Usually played from a tee with either a long iron, hybrid club or fairway wood, this shot increases your chances of getting the ball onto the fairway.

To pull off a great stinger shot the golfer needs lots of club head speed, combined with a clean strike and near-perfect balance. This is not something that can be mastered overnight, so it takes plenty of practice.

Here are three ways to hit a stinger:

1. Club head speed
   You need to hit the ball with enough speed to create backspin, which enables the ball to hold itself up as it travels over the fairway. You won’t hit a stinger shot without generating plenty of club head speed, which is something that can be worked on at the driving range.
2. Clean strike
   A great stinger shot depends on a perfectly clean strike, so you need to have the ability to hit strong and clean shots before attempting it.
3. Good balance
   If you can strike a clean hit, then there’s a good chance you already possess the necessary balance to deliver a stinger shot. Perfect balance over the ball needs to be maintained right through to the finish, as there’s no time to recover the swing if it goes off-track at any point.

The key to hitting a stinger:

• Position the ball back in your stance to encourage a lower trajectory.
• Keep more of your weight on your front foot, which moves your centre of gravity forward, helping to keep the ball low.
• The handle of your club should be forward of the club head at the point of impact.
• Keep your stance slightly open, as this counteracts any tendency to open the club face.
• Keep to a ¾ swing, which allows better control of the club face.
• Keep turning through impact, with the handle ahead of the club head for as long as you can.

Like any golf shot, the stinger takes time to master. However, it’s a useful shot to have in your armoury, so well worth learning. Why not get off to a flying start with a golf lesson led by our PGA Golf Professionals?